The search for Carl

Zander has never said mommy or daddy. And it's always bothered us. Other toddlers say it! Why doesn't our toddler say it? It's something we have longed to hear.

A few weeks ago I realized that whenever Zander was crying and asking for us, it sounded like he was saying "Carl". And who is Carl, you ask? I wasn't sure.

I kept listening for "Carl", to try to find a pattern to when he said it. And it seemed that it was always when he wanted daddy. Who's name is Carlos.

Yes, that's right. My son is calling his father by his name! Shortly after, we realized that when he says "cat", sometimes he means cat, sometimes he means me. Interesting.

I told my mother, who started to laugh. Apparently this runs in the family.

When I was around 14 months old, I started saying "nonny" (pronounced like Donny). My mother was so happy that I was finally starting to call her mommy. What she found odd, though, was that I would go to the window and yell "nonny! nonny!" whenever I could hear my father coming home on the tractor (I'm a farm girl, you see). And then it dawned on her. I was trying to say "honey", which incidentally is what my mother calls my father. That's when they started calling each other mommy and daddy in front of my brother and I.

So Carlos and I try to remember to call each other mommy and daddy in front of the boys. Which can seem awkward at times, and downright funny at others. Especially depending on the situation and whomever may be witness.

I find the whole thing funny, and rather cute. My husband does not. I'm not quite sure why he can't find the humour in it. I think he may feel as if his son was calling for him without him knowing. But even if Zander was calling for Harold, Carlos would still go to him. That's just the type of father he is.

Zander has finally started to say dad. He calls Carlos dad and he calls me dad.

But that's better than "Carl" and "cat", I guess!

Zander & Daddy (Carl)